THE WICHITAN The Student Voice of Midwestern State University
Speaking as part of MSUʼs Artist-Lecture Series, Craven took his audience in Akin Auditorium on a journey of his lifeʼs ups and downs. At one point he was in Pensacola, Fla., training to be a naval pilot, when he became paralyzed from the chest down, struck by a disease that was a subfamily of polio. Slowly, he would come out of the paralysis, but he would spend a year recuperating. “It was kind of scary,” he said. “It put things in perspective.” Years later, his life underwent another radical shift when he went from being a university professor to a messenger and New York City cab driver. Eventually, he got his break in film. Growing up, the 67-yearold director said his devout Baptist parents imposed LAUREN MILLER | THE WICHITAN their strict beliefs on his enWriter/director Wes Craven signs a poster of his famous character Freddy Krueger for tertainment. a fan after his speech for the Artist-Lecture Series on Friday. “We were not allowed to watch movies,” he explained. Instead, the young “horrormeister” immersed his mind into the classics of 19th and early 20th century literature. While teaching humanities as a doctoral student at Clarkson University in Potsdam, N.Y., Cravenʼs graduate professor complained that he had not pubmade the connection.” lished anything. He told Craven that being CHRISTIAN MCPHATE Since the debut of “The Last House on unpublished was hurting his chances for a STAFF REPORTER the Left” in 1972, Craven has frightened au- Ph.D. “So, I quit!” he said. ritically acclaimed director Wes diences and critics for more than 30 years with “The Hills Have Eyes,” “People Under During his year at the university, he had Craven traveled through the tornado clouds hovering over the Stairs,” the “Nightmare on Elm Street” purchased a 16mm camera and began filmWichita Falls to talk about his series, “The Serpent and the Rainbow,” ing with students. He also helped start a film rise to the top of Hollywoodʼs “Shocker,” “Vampire in Brooklyn” and the club. “Scream” series as well as his run on epiHe found his passion. food chain. “Someone at dinner pointed out that sodes of the television show “The Twilight See Craven page 6 it was Friday the 13th,” he said. “I hadnʼt Zone.”
Fear Factor
Hollywood heavyweight Wes Craven talks failure, fame and film
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Chi Omega cooks up chili fund-raiser JESSICA COODY FOR THE WICHITAN Spring weather, live music, college students and chili: Put it all together and you have the ninth annual Chi Omega Chili Cook-Off.
The event, which will be held April 21, has become one of the most popular happenings on campus for both students and members of the community. An average of 1,000 people fill the grassy area between the Wichita Falls Museum of Art at MSU and Sikes Lake every
year, all in good fun and for a good cause. Proceeds from the sorority-sponsored event go toward the MakeA-Wish Foundation, which grants wishes to children with terminal illnesses. In the past eight years, Midwestern Stateʼs own Chi Ome-
gas have raised close to $60,000, making it one of the most successful Greek fund-raisers on campus. Morgan Kennedy, the alumni co-chair of the event, says that although the Chi Omega chapter at
See Chili page 7
Smoking ban could douse campus cigs CARRIE SULLIVAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF The MSU Student Affairs Committee floated a proposal Tuesday for a campus-wide tobacco ban. Smoking is currently allowed only outdoors and not within 20 feet of campus buildings. If enacted, that would be outlawed. Student Affairs was the first official committee to hear the proposal, which was recommended by an ad hoc committee appointed last fall by President Jesse Rogers to look
INSIDE
MSU has been successful in recruiting a large number of international students despite the overall decline in numbers of foreign students attending American universities after the terrorist attacks in 2001. MSUʼs population consists of approximately 340 students who represent 46 countries including Japan, India, Canada, Nigeria, Germany, Spain, Austria, Mexico, Holland, Australia, Suriname, Venezuela, France, South Africa and Panama. The majority of the international population comes from the Caribbean. In the fall of 1993, eight Caribbean students from Antigua, Dominica, Grenada and St. Vincent established a recruitment program to help bring other Caribbean students to MSU. Other special outreach programs are located in Japan, the
into health. Associate Vice President of Student Affairs Keith Lamb said he wants MSU students to be happy and healthy. Allowing smoking is the antithesis of what that healthy goal is about, he maintained. “I think (banning tobacco) is the right thing to do,” he said. “Iʼm all for it.” Students have described walking through clouds of smoke as they enter or leave campus buildings, according to Howard Farrell, vice See Tobacco page 6
Student allocations carves out $100,000 HEATHER KUMOR FOR THE WICHITAN The Students Allocations Committee sliced more than $100,000 from student organization budgets Thursday. This year, the student group had $2.17 million to dole out compared with $2.28 million last year. Dr. Howard M. Farrell, vice president of university advancement and student affairs, explained the school had fewer funds this year because of a decline in enrollment. The money
the committee divided up comes from student fees. “Every dollar of students fees goes to the students,” Farrell said. Farrell said the decline in enrollment is due to many factors, including the booming Texas economy, which is pulling students out of school and into the job field. Another factor is it is harder to become a student at MSU due to higher academic standards and a focus on enrolling students who are more likely to succeed as freshmen.
See Allocations page 6
In Remembrance The Student Government Association has partnered with MSU to hold a candlelight vigil in dedication to the students, faculty and staff affected by the shooting at Virginia Tech Monday morning. The ceremony will be held at 9 p.m. Wednesday, April 18, in the Sunwatcher Plaza. Everyone is encouraged to attend the event. The SGA also welcomes residents of Wichita Falls and surrounding communities.
SGA debate presents new candidates
Students fly far from home, nest at MSU MELISSA DOS PRAZERES-SILVA FOR THE WICHITAN
Wednesday April 18, 2007
ANDREW WEITNER FOR THE WICHITAN
former Soviet Union and Mexico. The MSU athletic department recruits many athletes from other countries. Men and womenʼs tennis have the largest numbers of international recruits this year with players from Australia, Holland, Venezuela, Suriname, Canada, South Africa and Mexico. Menʼs soccer has three international athletes from Panama, Holland and Canada. The only international player on the menʼs basketball squad is from Georgia. Myron VonDielingen, assistant director of International Services, believes the interactions between foreign and American students broaden learning experiences for everyone. Exposure to different cultures forces students to adapt to a multi-cultural society. Having international students plays a key role in the well-rounded educational experience schools like MSU provide to students. “From a professorʼs standpoint,
Candidates for MSUʼs SGA duked it out Monday, proposing their plans for a better campus at the annual debate. Each candidate holds a similar platform. They want unity and to highlight MSUʼs diversity. They also seek a stronger communication between SGA and the student body, as well as the initiation of a stronger cultural awareness. Junior English major Jason York currently holds the office of vice president and is running for SGA president. He said he anticipates the opportunity to change a common complaint of students: The cafeteria. York is also pushing for longer cafeteria hours that will meet the needs of each student who utilizes the meal plans. He also wants to see more of a reflection of the culture on campus in the cafeteria.
See International page 7
SUNKYU YOO-NORRIS | THE WICHITAN
‘Robin Hood’
‘Disturbia’
Spring Game
An old legend gets a new twist.
Rising star shows talent in new movie.
MSU football’s offensive and defensive lines battle it out.
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See Debate page 7
Sweepstakes Winner 2006 Texas Intercollegiate Press Association
THE WICHITAN
VIEWPOINTS
Finalist 2004 Associated Collegiate Press Pacemaker Award
April 18, 2007
Staff Editorial
Sisterhood Blonde hair. Big breasts. Daddyʼs little girl. A ton of money. These are the stereotypes that lie behind sorority women--stereotypes that must be changed. In late February, 35 members of the DePauw
Impatient people need new perspective
University chapter of Delta Zeta Sorority in Indiana were dropped from the chapter due to a recruitment problem. The reason, according to an article in The New York Times, was the physical appearance of the sorority members. When a psychology professor at DePauw University surveyed students, the sisters of Delta Zeta were seen as “socially awkward.ʼʼ Worried that a negative stereotype of the sorority was contributing to a decline in recruitment, the Delta Zeta national administration deactivated women from the chapter. The administration only found 12 women who upheld the image they wanted for recruitment purposes. Sororities should stop emphasizing physical appearance of its members and focus on potential
N o t even a second after the light turns green the guy behind you honks his horn. You are KRYSTLE CAREY s t a n d i n g MANAGING EDITOR in the grocery line and the lady in the back of the line keeps huffing and puffing because the line is not going fast enough. While sitting peacefully, waiting for your meal to be brought to your table, the older man at the table beside you keeps screaming at the waitress, “I havenʼt got all day.” Do these scenarios sound too familiar to you? I have noticed the impatient behavior of many people has become increasingly overwhelming. Are we so important that we think our precious time should not be wasted a single second? Almost everywhere I go, I see
some sign of an impatient person. Whether it is on the road, at school, in a store or at a restaurant, people seem to be getting more and more impatient. Everyday I see drivers on the road just whizzing by because they are obviously in such a hurry they feel the need to go 20 miles over the speed limit. I see some drivers running stop signs or even stop lights just to save a few seconds. Just the other day, I was sitting at a stop light and just as the light turned green, the driver behind me started honking his horn. The light just turned green! Are people in that much of a hurry that I should start driving forward before the light even changes from red? When I used to work in a grocery store, the evidence of impatient customers was an hourly thing. It never failed that one customer was not happy to stand in line for one minute because their lives were obviously more important than the people in front of them.
I would hear complaints daily from people in the lines. They just did not have the patience to wait a minute or two for other customers to be helped. Has our society become too much of a fast-paced world that many people are no longer patient? Think of the days before technology and gadgets. Do you think those people were able to go through a grocery line in a few seconds flat? Of course not, and Iʼm sure you would not have heard a complaint coming from their mouth because of it. I even notice how students in class like to start rummaging through their bookbags when there is still five minutes left. Everyday I witness a customer at a store or restaurant being rude with the employee because they do not think they are going fast enough. The reality is most of those workers have dealt with plenty of other impatient customers throughout the day and do not care to deal with a handful more.
People should take a step back and put themselves in the employeeʼs shoes. A little bit of kindness can go a long way. Would you go faster if a customer is moaning and complaining that you are going too slow? More than likely you would not, but you would probably go slower because they are being rude anyway. So, you might as well. Yes, we have the luxuries of fast food restaurants, ATM machines and cash registers that give the employee the correct amount of change. However, all these methods of making our lives more fast-paced should not make us all impatient, greedy savages. So, next time you are sitting at that stop light or standing in the line at the grocery store, think about the people around you. If you are running late and need to get things done faster, itʼs not anyone elseʼs fault. Itʼs your fault for not getting it done sooner.
T h e coverage of the Virginia Tech shooting has saturated the airwaves for the last 72 hours. ADRIAN MCCANDLESS F o r me, it is a PHOTO EDITOR bit overwhelming. The media is a double-edged sword if you think about it. On one hand, we want to be informed but on the other, messages get skewed and sensationalized. With Columbine’s anniversary creeping ever so close, we have yet another school shooting flooding the airwaves. Not only do we have another shooting, but it is also the deadliest killing spree ever recorded in American history. What is wrong with our nation? The media is making this horrific and tragic event sound like a Guinness world record just waiting to be beaten. After all, records are meant to be broken, right? Therefore, journalists should stop harping on that fact. How about focusing on the victims instead of glorifying the gunman? With headlines that read MAS-
SACRE, SLAYING, HISTORIC … it just leads to copycats. We are giving him exactly what he wanted: Infamy. He will forever be known as the gunman who wreaked havoc at Virginia Tech. After a while we may forget his name or face, but we will forever remember what happened at Virginia Tech on April 16, 2007. The focus should be on the victims. According to MSNBC.com, Ryan Clark, 22, from Martinez, Ga., was a triple major in biology, English and psychology. Clark was one of the first fatalities on Monday. He worked as a resident adviser on the fourth floor of West Ambler Johnston Hall. His life was cut short with just a month left before graduation. For all of the students who are about to graduate, put yourself in his shoes. Your thoughts are on life after college and your hopes and dreams are at your fingertips. Clark will never walk across the stage nor live out his dreams post graduation. Clark was not only a good student; he was a great student, carrying a 4.0 grade point average. Arielle Perlmutter posted on MSNBC.com she had been friends with Clark for a decade. “Ryan and I worked at Camp Big Heart, a camp for children and adults with special needs for part of every summer since I was in high
school,” she posted. “Ryan was one of the most amazing, loving and caring young men I have ever met. He went into every day of camp, trying as it could be, with a smile and an open mind. I rarely, in the years I knew Ryan, saw him frown.” Liviu Librescu, 76, was the head of engineering science and mechanics department at Virginia Tech. He was recognized worldwide for his research in aeronautical engineering. Librescu was a Holocaust survivor. His son Joe Librescu said his father would be remembered as a hero for blocking the door with his body while he told his students to flee out windows to safety. Could you imagine surviving something as horrific as the Holocaust only to die by the hands of a deranged gunman? Emily Hilscher, 19, was a freshman majoring in animal and poultry sciences. Like any other college freshman, Hilscher was probably just getting used to being on her own for the first time. She probably still got homesick from time to time, but the newfound independence slowly began to feel pretty good. Erin Peterson, 18, described herself as a jeans and T-shirt kind of girl on her MySpace profile. Take a look around this campus. That description fits about 80 percent of the girls living in the dorms
or sitting next to you in class. Peterson was gunned down while she was sitting in French class. Could you imagine sitting in an enclosed classroom with no way out, pretty much waiting to die? Ross Abdallah Alameddine, 20, of Saugus, Mass., also was gunned down Monday. Alameddine had one year of college under his belt and was nearly halfway through his collegiate career majoring in English. I can only imagine how his day started. Actually, it was probably like any other ordinary day. Like most college students, he probably stayed up late studying for a final test, woke up late, grabbed a quick breakfast and headed off to class … just an ordinary day … Friends have created an online memorial on Facebook.com to pay tribute to a fallen friend. “You’re such an amazing kid, Ross,” Zach Allen wrote, who also attended Austin Prep, according to his profile. “You always made me smile, and you always knew the right thing to do or say to cheer anyone up.” The people who died were not just a statistic. These individuals were someone’s brother, sister, mother or grandfather. Rather than focusing on the horrific act, we should take some time to reflect those who died and show some compassion.
Virginia Tech victims will be remembered
membersʼ values, morals and character. Sororities are social networking organizations where one can develop relationships that will be useful in both career and personal life. It is a shame some women are denied this opportunity due to physical appearance. According to Alexandria Robbins, writer of “Pledged: The Secret Life of Sororities,” many stereotypes are unfortunately true. Robbins went undercover and pledged as a sorority member for a year at a state university. In the book, she details the drinking, partying, hazing and gossiping in sororities. It is up to sorority members to change their reputation and stereotypical image. Women should be judged based upon values, grades and campus involvement instead of their looks.
3410 Taft Blvd. Box 14 • Wichita Falls, Texas 76308 News Desk (940) 397-4704 • Advertising Desk (940) 397-4705 Fax (940) 397-4025 • E-mail WICHITAN@mwsu.edu Web site: http://www.mwsu.edu/~wichitan Copyright © 2007. The Wichitan is a member of the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association. The Wichitan reserves the right to edit any material submitted for publication. Opinions expressed in The Wichitan do not necessarily reflect those of the students, staff, faculty, administration or Board of Regents of Midwestern State University. First copy of the paper is free of charge; additional copies are $1. The Wichitan welcomes letters of opinion from students, faculty and staff submitted by the Friday before intended publication. Letters should be brief and without abusive language or personal attacks. Letters must be typed and signed by the writer and include a telephone number and address for verification purposes. The editor retains the right to edit letters.
THE WICHITAN Editorial Board
Editor-in-Chief Carrie Sullivan Managing Editor Krystle Carey Entertainment Editor Jason Kimbro Sports Editor Josh Mujica Photo Editor Adrian McCandless
Reporters Richard Carter Christian McPhate Melissa dos Prazeres Silva Rachel Tompkins Photographers Hershel Self Lauren Miller Graphic Artist SunKyu Yoo-Norris
Advertising Manager Christian McPhate
Copy Editor Konnie Sewell
Adviser Randy Pruitt
Op-Ed
First Amendment in question
Does the public have a right to know what the government is doing? T h e CHRISTIAN MCPHATE m i n d s STAFF REPORTER of Texas congressional leaders have begun to debate this constitutional foundation. Last week, the Senate Jurisprudence Committee approved Senate Bill 966, the Free Flow of Information Act, with a vote of 4-0 and has gone on to the full Senate for consideration. The bill provides journalists with protection when pressured to reveal unnamed sources (like individuals in higher levels of government who finally listen to their conscience); however, a neutral party (a judge) can still look over the “unnamed” source. Currently, Texas takes a “Lippmannʼs” view on journalism and does not protect the free and unfettered media as stated under the laws of the First Amendment. Since the 1920s, the differing views of Walter Lippmann, a writer, and American philosopher John Dewey, have struggled to control the beast of information. Lippmann believed journalists should act as a “mediator” or a “middle man (woman)” between the public and political bill-making elites. In his view, the public was not able to deconstruct the tornado of information twisting forth from the industrial age and growing to unimaginable proportions.
And so a filter was needed to relay the news. “The public is not smart enough to understand complicated, political issues,” he said. “Furthermore, the public was too consumed with their daily lives to care about complex public policy.” It is a view the government finds more favorable. Dewey believed journalists should take the information and then analyze it, weighing the varying effects on the public. He thought shared knowledge of the whole was superior to a single individualʼs knowledge. According to the philosopher, “conversation, debate and dialogue lie at the heart of democracy.” This belief is known as “community journalism.” And it is how society expects journalists to behave. Journalists are the “watchdogs” of government, religion, businesses, entertainment and pretty much anything else that concerns the public. In Bill Kovach and Tom Rosentalʼs book “Elements of Journalism,” journalists must follow nine rules to inform the public with the needed weaponry to make free and self-governing decisions: Obligation to truth, loyalty to the citizens, discipline of verification, maintain independence from those they cover; independent monitor of power, provide a forum for public criticism and compromise, strive to make the significant interesting and relevant, comprehensive and proportional news, and to be allowed to exercise their personal conscience. During the early part of the 20th century (before the Internet), small newspapers around the country dominated the publicʼs opinion with the journalists powerʼs of persuasion and reported and promoted ra-
cial agenda and biased views. Nowadays, large corporations like the Scripps Howard News Service, located in Washington, D.C., control several newspapers across the country like the Times Record News as well as an additional innumerable amount of newspaper outlets. One still must question the validity of the reporting or place a lot of faith in the reporters. Newspaper executives have implemented a number of ethical laws for journalists to follow, including ways to avoid plagiarism and biased reporting. However, a few have broken from the pack, but they have paid the consequences for their actions of deceit. Since the birth of journalism, reporters have faced execution, persecution and terror, including: The assassinations of Iman Yussef Abdallah, an Iraqi journalist; Anna Politkovskaya, an esteemed Russian journalist who advocated human rights; Ivan Safronov, a former Russian colonel turned reporter who confirmed sensitive information about his governmentʼs “questionable” arms sales; Guillermo Cano, a newspaper publisher from Colombia who criticized powerful drug lords ruling his country; and the list continues to grow. “I think there is a problem with freedom of the press,” former Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev said at a Russian-German forum in Kaliningrad. And he is right. So as the bill makes it way through the ravenous jaws of the congressional houses, the citizens of Texas need to send out a message to our state government and use a “lobbyistsʼ technique” and demand the passage of the Free Flow of Information Act.
Don Imusʼ firing causes storm
B y now, everyoneʼs got an opinion on the Don Imus scandal. Except me. Iʼve KONNIE SEWELL always COPY EDITOR been a rather indecisive person, and Iʼve always been able to see both sides of every story. On the one hand, Iʼm realistic and skeptical, but on the other Iʼm eternally willing to give the benefit of the doubt. And to top it off, Iʼm a mass communication major. Doing mass comm has been fun and informative, but itʼs also ruined me, in a way. Thanks to my studio classes, I canʼt watch TV or a movie without wondering how a certain shot was filmed or why it was edited a certain way. Thanks to my advertising and television programming class, I canʼt listen to the radio or watch TV without wondering about commercial placement and demographics. Thanks to my writing classes, I canʼt read an article or an interview without wondering what questions werenʼt asked. And thanks to my editing and law classes, I canʼt come up with a reasonable solution to the Imus problem. If thereʼs one thing Iʼve learned during my years in mass comm, itʼs that journalists are generally expected to look out for different or unique angles. Theyʼre supposed to dig deep into the past and show how then relates to now. Theyʼre supposed to be sharp eyed and clever and quick. Theyʼre also generally not supposed to take sides. Iʼm not suggesting that my Spidey senses are more heightened than anyone elseʼs just because Iʼm a mass comm major. It just throws a different light on things is all. I agree that what Imus said was racist and insensitive. Itʼs not the first time heʼs said something like that, and it probably wonʼt be the last. But am I the only one who sees a double standard here? Jesse Jackson, one of the most vocal detractors of Imus, once said he was “sick and tired of hearing about the Holocaust.” Heʼs also referred to Jewish people as being Hymies and New York as being Hymietown. Heʼs since apologized, but if itʼs okay to assume Imus will continue to make racist remarks, can we assume the same of Jackson? Some reports claim Imus will never work
again. If thatʼs true, then why is Jackson still active? Speaking of work, what has to be taken into account is what exactly Imusʼ job was. He was a shock jock. His entire time on the radio consisted of trying to freak viewers out. Most people who listened to him understood that. He was a shock jock who was doing his job (and doing it well, I suppose). But can you legally fire someone for simply doing their job? Another popular shock jock, Howard Stern, was severely lambasted for his raunchy and misogynistic radio show. Since his move to satellite radio, Sternʼs doing as well as he ever did on terrestrial radio. Whoʼs to say Imus wonʼt make the same kind of move? And if he did, how much of a punishment would it really be for him to have the same audience, but more freedom in subject matter? Thereʼs the possibility Imus wonʼt take a job on satellite radio. But then, does that mean Americans are more willing to tolerate sexism than racism? Why would both of these forms of hatred not receive the same amount of punishment? Imus was fired. While this looks like a really noble move on the part of NBC, thereʼs always the chance that since advertisers wouldnʼt want to be associated with Imusʼ show anymore, they didnʼt want to keep the baggage. I hate to say it, but thereʼs being a really good human being, and then thereʼs being a really smart human being. No matter what certain people say, this scandal involves the First Amendment. If thereʼs an audience for it, advertisers are going to want to cater to that audience. If thereʼs an audience for it, should they not be allowed to voice their stance and publicly pat each other on the back? But we as a society must take into consideration the idea of taking an idea too far. How much are people going to put up with? How long does it take before a detestable idea becomes a way of life? Were we supposed to stop Hitler only after 6 millions Jews died, or was it our responsibility to make sure that atrocity was prevented in the first place? Were we supposed to abolish slavery only after millions of Americans — black and white — were slaughtered by one another? Iʼm a fan of the idea of combating problematic speech with more speech. But when does more speech piled upon more speech lead to riots and car bombs and plotting and assassinations? I also think people — everyday people watching this all unfold in
their living rooms or reading editorials about it in their newspapers — need to take a step back and realize exactly what theyʼre wagging an accusing finger at, because itʼs some of the same behavior they themselves have participated in. I know Iʼm guilty of it. Iʼve watched a TV show or a commercial and said something of no real consequence, yet out of malice or spite. Iʼve made mean or hateful comments about rock stars and movie stars and other well-known personalities. Iʼve said these things (“Look how ugly that girl is!” “That guy looks really gay.” “What a nasty whore, I bet sheʼs slept with everyone on the set of that show!”) not knowing what kind of people Iʼm directing it to. Everyone has done something like that in the privacy of their own home, or around the best of friends they know they can be frank with. Everyoneʼs had a not-too-nice Freudian slip. Is it right, then, to fire Imus for doing something that happens frequently in homes across America? Is it right to fire him for what hundreds of CEOs and recording presidents make money off of every time they sell a rap or emo CD? Both genres are notoriously hateful toward women. Snoop Dogg claims a black man calling a black woman a ho is different from an old white guy calling a black girl a ho. Is it? Does the context of using the word outweigh the simple meaning behind the two-letter word? Is it bad for a white person to use the words wetback and spic, but OK for a person of Hispanic or Latin descent to use the word gringo? If a rose is a rose is a rose is a rose, then is a slur is a slur is a slur is a slur? If Imus is to be fired for saying what he said, then what about some of the comedians on Comedy Central? Are they included in all this as well? Or even shows like “Family Guy” and “American Dad?” What about “All in the Family?” Archie Bunker was a racist in order for the show to prove a point — but he was still a racist. How does that work itself out? I apologize for including so many question marks in this column. Ever since I was taught not to in my high school journalism class, Iʼve shied away from doing it. But I really donʼt know what to think about this scandal, especially when thereʼs so many different threads connected and knotted around each other, but everyone keeps tugging at just one of them. All I know is that it doesnʼt make being a mass communication student any easier.
THE WICHITAN April 18, 2007
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– Letter to the Editor – To the Editor, I have some serious concerns regarding the poorly written article that appeared in the April 11, 2007 edition of The Wichitan. I feel that the incorrect information and “quotes” reflect badly on the MSU Dental Hygiene Department. It is quite apparent to the faculty and students in the dental hygiene department that the information has not been accurately presented. However, we are concerned that those who read this article will not see the information for what it is – grossly out of context. I would like to clarify some of the erroneous information. My name is misspelled and my credentials are incorrect. My name is spelled DeBois, not DuBois and I am a Registered Dental Hygienist, not a certified dental assistant. MSU students are not entitled to free dental service in the Gaines Dental Hygiene Clinic. Dental hygiene services are provided as a courtesy for the students. The clinic is basically a selfsupporting facility. A fee for use of the dental hygiene clinic is not included with tuition/registration. The majority of the operating expenses are covered with the treatment fees paid by patients from outside of the MSU community. Dental hygiene faculty feel strongly that any services provided in the clinic be done so at no cost to the students, as long as it is financially feasible for us to do so. MSU dental hygiene students
do not usually perform the services provided. MSU students provide all services legally permitted by the Texas State Board of Dentistry. The patient classification system is not based on “dirty” teeth. There are several criteria for which patients are evaluated, one of which is based on the amount and tenacity of calculus deposits. A patient may have what they think are very “clean” teeth, when in fact the deposits beneath the gingival margins (which in many situations the patient is unaware of) warrant a more difficult treatment classification level. Therefore, we do not just need patients with “dirty teeth.” We need patients who do not have their teeth cleaned regularly. I believe “dirty” and “garbage” were words used originally by the author of this article and should not have been presented in the form of a direct quote from me. We do not “rank” our patients. Patients are assigned a classification based on the criteria noted above. A Class 1 level of difficulty is assigned to a child age 10 and under who normally has little to no deposits. A patient who presents with heavy calculus deposits and periodontal disease is assigned a Class 4 difficulty level. The term “worse teeth” is a very poor choice of descriptors. One may be lead to believe that we are actively advertising for all patients. Notices posted on campus, at local fire stations, and the prison (for guards only) have been posted in an
attempt to locate patients for the studentsʼ clinical licensing exams only. Current community support is so great that appointments for treatment in the Gaines Dental Hygiene Clinic are booked for only two to three weeks in advance. This is done to insure there is adequate time for patients to be reappointed as needed for completion of their treatment. No referral service agreement exists with any area dental “clinic” and the MSU clinic. Many local dentists refer individuals to the Gaines Dental Hygiene Clinic for x-rays and/or cleanings prior to the start of more involved treatment. This is very advantageous for both the patients and the students. The term “dirty teeth” and the poor sentence structure are not mine. The Dental Hygiene program is not up for accreditation review this month. The site visit occurred in November 2006. The Dental Hygiene program has not moved around “a lot.” In 1979 the department moved into the Gaines Dental Hygiene Clinic which was adjacent to Dillard. In 1999, the department (including the Gaines Clinic) moved into Bridwell Hall, where it is located today. I do not believe that two moves in the past 28 years would be defined as “a lot.” Thank you, Barbara J. DeBois, RDH, MS Chair, Dental Hygiene Department
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THE WICHITAN April 18, 2007
Across Campus National Library Week This week is National Library Week, and the Moffett Library will be having an Amnesty Week as well. Any patron who has “lost items” can return them with no questions asked and have the fines forgiven. Students with fines can come in personally and their fines will be forgiven in the amount of up to $10 as well. This offer is only valid in person. Amnesty includes media items as well.
Artist-Lecture Series The Artist-Lecture Series presents the John Jorgenson Quintet at 7 p.m. April 23 in Akin Auditorium. Jorgenson was a founding member of the Desert Rose Band, the Hellecasters and a 6-year member of Elton Johnʼs band. Jorgenson is known as one of the pioneers of the American gypsy jazz movement. At a John Jorgenson Quintet performance, audiences are amazed by Jorgensonʼs dazzling guitar work as well as by his mastery as a clarinet player and vocalist. Whether playing his own compositions or classic standards, Jorgenson and his band make music that is equally romantic and ecstatic, played with virtuosity and soul. Tickets are available for faculty and staff at the Clark Student Center Information Desk.
Academic Awards Dinner The Academic Awards Dinner will be at 7 p.m. April 24 at the Wichita Falls Country Club. Tickets are available at the MSU Business Office, Hardin 103, during operating hours. Cost is $15 per ticket. For additional information, please contact Deb Schulte at 397-4226.
Voter Registration Register to vote by visiting the voter registration booth in the Clark Student Center Tuesday. Registration will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Chili Cook-Off Chi Omega will hold a chili cook-off April 21 at 11:00 a.m. Tickets are $5 in advance or $7 at the door. Texas Jack will be performing live. Come for lots of fun!
Entertainment
Series gets Robin Hood legend right KONNIE SEWELL COPY EDITOR Iʼm in love with a guy who doesnʼt know I exist. And what makes it even worse is that heʼs perfect: Heʼs handsome and funny, kind and brave. Itʼs too bad heʼs taken — heʼs been head-over-heels in love with this one girl for ages. Heʼs also fictional and living in 1192, which poses more than a few problems. But never mind my strange flights of fancy — the point is, the BBCʼs “Robin Hood” is made of awesome. The problem with all other versions of the Robin Hood story is theyʼre always exactly the same. Robin and King Richard are always very, very good. The Merry Men are always very, very loyal. Prince John and the Sheriff of Nottingham are always very, very bad. Maid Marian is always very, very boring. Save for Walt Disneyʼs fantastically anthropomorphic version in the ʼ70s (Robinʼs quite foxy in that one ... sorry, guys, I had to do it) and Mel Brooksʼ insanely ridiculous (in a good way!) 1993 version, very little has been done to either modernize the story or retell it. Thereʼs respecting beloved characters weʼve all grown up with, and then thereʼs simply ignoring who they are and what they stand for (Clive Owenʼs “King Arthur,” anyone?). Thankfully, the BBC series breathes new life into the story behind everyoneʼs favorite outlaw. Itʼs brimming with adventure, dastardly deeds, romance and much swash is buckled. This version of the Robin Hood legend has Robin (expertly played by a boyishly charismatic Jonas Armstrong), Earl of Huntingdon and lord of Locksley Manor, returning from the Third Crusade, where he fought as part of King Richardʼs personal guard and was almost mortally wounded. When he returns home, he finds that the kind, formerly employed sheriff (who happens to be Marianʼs daddy) has been ousted and replaced by the maniacal Vaysey (Keith Allen). Heʼs just as bad
Little John, Much, Allan-a-Dale, Robin Hood, Roy and Will Scarlet prepare to go medieval in “Robin Hood.”
as youʼd expected him to be, but heʼs played marvelously by a very campy and very sarcastic Allen. This is a villain who knows how to strike all the wrong nerves in a hero and can hold the townsfolkʼs attention with his gift of rhetoric. Life sucks in Nottingham for the villagers for all the old-school reasons: Taxes, persecution, lack of food, squalid living conditions. So of course, in typically heroic fashion, Robin sets out to right the wrongs the Sheriff and his righthand man Sir Guy of Gisborne (Richard Armitage) have done to the good people of Nottingham. The plot is mostly predictable (though there are several surprises) and thereʼs some hoity-toity talk about freedom and justice and the peopleʼs rights. The theme song is a little overly bombastic in that make-way-for-the-hero kinda way and some of the “whoosh” and “flit” sound effects during the fight scenes are cheesy. But thatʼs not the point. The point is the reimagining
of these characters and their relationships to one another. Armstrongʼs Robin Hood isnʼt the Robin Hood your parents grew up with. Heʼs arrogant and heʼs got a dark side that comes out during some surprising moments. He fights for the poor partly because itʼs the right thing to do, but also partly because he loves the adoration he receives. (When a plot of the Sheriffʼs turned the townspeopleʼs affections against Robin, it was just as shocking to him as the Sheriffʼs murdering of innocent folk.) The series is full of fun and smart dialogue and the characters are entirely likeable and recognizable. Little Johnʼs (Gordon Kennedy) family presumes heʼs dead because he secretly fights to protect them. Will Scarlet (Harry Lloyd) is the youngest of Robinʼs posse but probably the most level headed and logical. Allan-a-Dale (Joe Armstrong), a simple minstrel in most of the legends, is a pathological liar with a good heart and even better
sense of humor. Even Gisborne, while associated with the Sheriff, isnʼt completely black hearted. Heʼs done some terrible things, but he shows as much remorse and feels as much guilt as any of the good guys. His affection for Marian (Lucy Griffiths) is, though obsessive, real. All the brother wants is some land a family name. As a side note, I will say that when Gisborne first walked on screen, I hoped against hope he was going to be the Sheriff — a Sheriff whoʼs around the same age as Robin? What an interesting dynamic that would have been! But as it is, the Sheriff is evil but heʼs not a cartoon or a caricature. Heʼs a strategist. Itʼs almost disturbing to see the things he does. For instance, when he captures Allanʼs thief of a brother, he advances the hanging by an hour. When Robin and the gang arrive to save him, theyʼre too late. The seriesʼ take on Marian is an interesting one that sometimes
works, sometimes doesnʼt work. Sheʼs headstrong and doesnʼt know when to keep quiet. Sheʼs not a shield-maiden, but she does masquerade around at night as the Night Watchman, a disguise she took up when Robin left in order to help keep the villagers safe from the Sheriff and Gisborne. The best aspect of her character, however, is how cold and aloof she is to Robin. Most versions of Maid Marian (here known as Lady Marian) are one-dimensional. But this Marian is angry with Robin for leaving the town (and her, his fiancée) to fight a war. Why leave to help the king when the people at Locksley estate needed him more? To her it was an act of betrayal not so easily forgivable, and though she still loves him, she wonʼt let him forget it. So there you have it: A Robin Hood for this generation we can be proud of. Unlike some other Robin Hoods, this one wears buckskin breeches and kicks all kinds of ass.
Elvis impersonator at age 14, then falling under the spell of Queen, Radiohead and Jeff Buckley. By 2002, she was opening for Shawn Colvin and Dave Matthews, and two years later she signed with Columbia and released “Brandi Carlile.” Three songs from that CD wound up on “Greyʼs Anatomy” (the show featured “The Storyʼs” track “Thursday”) and the singer soon caught the ear of Burnett. Unbeknownst to either of them, the producer had actually inspired Carlile to start dabbling in IrishEnglish folk music. “I saw Elvis Costello sing ʻScarlet Tideʼ in Seattle and became obsessed with that song,” she said. “One day, I was over at T-Boneʼs house and told him Iʼd written all these melodies after hearing ʻScarlet Tide,ʼ and he said, ʻYeah? I wrote that song.ʼ ” The producer had co-written “Tide” for Costello to sing on the soundtrack for “Cold Mountain.” But that serendipity didnʼt mean
Carlile and Burnett always saw eye to eye while making “The Story.” When he told her to put away her guitar on the title track and focus on her singing, she got upset. “I was so frustrated without my guitar - I was like, ʻIʼm gonna bring it!ʼ ” she said. “My voice cracked and I almost laughed and stopped, but I kept going, and it turned out to sound cool.” The song is the CDʼs most passionate vocal. Carlile takes her own brother to task for not becoming a professional musician. “I felt like he betrayed me because he wasnʼt pursuing his lifeʼs dream,” she said. “I realize how ridiculous that sounds now, but I wrote it when I was 18, and I canʼt go back and change it now.” She continues: “Even though my songs are contemplative and sometimes sad, I hope people donʼt think Iʼm a sad, negative person. “Iʼm actually a real balanced, happy person because I have this outlet where I write songs to try to make sense of it all.”
Seattleʼs Brandi Carlile thrives despite comparisons MCCLATCHY TRIBUNE
When a previous interviewer tells Brandi Carlile she looks just like Mandy Moore, she thanks him politely and quickly changes the subject. With her Roy Orbison-style voice and Radiohead-influenced songs, Carlile is one of rockʼs most promising young artists. Her latest album, “The Story,” was produced by T-Bone Burnett, best known for the “O Brother, Where Art Thou” soundtrack. And like most of his productions, “The Story” is steeped in
folk, country and roots-rock styles. But the 25-year-old Seattle-area singer says her main inspiration is Elton John. At age 11, she heard Captain Fantasticʼs music and promptly “freaked out.” “I went to the King County Library, checked out ʻTumbleweed Connectionʼ and never brought it back,” she said at her hotel before a show at last monthʼs South by Southwest. “The other day, I actually found the shattered CD, held together by the King County Library sticker on the back. Someday, the lawʼs gonna catch up with me for that one,” she said. Before her Elton fixation, she was a budding country singer decked out in a Judds jean jacket, singing Patsy Cline songs with her
Brandi Carlile
mom and brother in a band called The Carliles. Post-Elton, she shifted to rock - first singing backup for a local
Entertainment
THE WICHITAN April 18, 2007
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Aaron Yoo and Shia LaBeouf star in “Disturbia,” a remake of the classic “Rear Window.”
LaBeouf strong in ‘Disturbia’ JASON KIMBRO ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
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Teens and tweens love crap like this. You get the hottest new actor to hit the market and put him in an overly-done remake of a classic film (this time it’s Hitchcock’s classic “Rear Window”) and boom! You have a moderate box office success that contributes to the riches of the few. On the other hand, “Disturbia” isn’t that bad of a flick and leading man (or should I say boy) Shia LaBeouf does more than just hold his own as he proves to be a truly vibrant rising star in Hollywood. Now that his place in Hollywood is rising higher with huge upcoming roles (such as the leading man in “Transformers” and the son of Indy himself in the much anticipated fourth installment of the Indiana Jones series) it was time for a smaller film to grace the screens showing exactly what he is about, and if “Disturbia” has nothing else to provide its audiences, then it at least proves LaBeouf’s worthiness as an actor and all-around fun guy. Kale (LaBeouf) is distraught over the death of his unrealistically loving father. He has been in trouble a few times with the law and seems to be unable to pull himself out of his delinquent rut. One day, during a drab session of Spanish class, Kale punches his teacher in the face after he makes a comment about his father. He is arrested and the judge sentences Kale to 90 days house arrest. It’s time for the high-tech ankle bracelet to come on. Being confined to his home is nothing short of boring. His mother (Carrie-Anne Moss) cuts off his Xbox Live subscription as well as his Internet in order to pay the daily house arrest fees. His friends hardly ever come over and the neighbor kids treat him as the neighborhood scary guy who “killed” his teacher. One day he notices some new neighbors moving in, including the beautiful and sensuous Ashley (Sarah Roemer). Thus begins his daily watching of the neighbors with bin-
Entertainment Value: B Artistic Crap: C Plot/Script: A Performances: B Overall GPA: 3.00 SunKyu Yoo-Norris
oculars. It doesn’t take too long before he gets to know Ashley a little better and gets her involved in the spying, along with his friend Ronnie (Aaron Yoo). On the news, reports of a serial killer and missing women catch Kale’s attention. One report really catches his ear, as it is said the kid-
serial killer but he has no evidence and with the police having little faith in someone with a criminal record he finds himself S.O.L. in attempting to squeal. So Kale keeps snooping with his two cohorts, getting them into some freaky situations with Mr. Turner and the suspense builds as we get a good look at his life. If you’re looking for nothing but a pure suspense thriller you might be disappointed, for this film actually has a high degree of character development. We see a wonderfully cheery Kale turn into a sardonic and sad figure after the death of his father. He is a quirky fellow who fits into the realistic cloth of society fairly well as life hands him a bum hand and he can’t help but let go. Otherwise I truly enjoyed this movie from start to finish. This is a well-rounded film. Performances were mediocre except for that of LaBeouf, who does a superb job. He has always seemed
Mr. Turner’s got some ’splaining to do.
napper drives a blue vintage Ford Mustang. One of his quieter neighbors drives the exact same car and when the report mentioned a dent on the front fender, Kale begins to get even more wary as the neighbor’s car has the exact same dent. His obsession with the neighbor suddenly becomes an obsession with this particular neighbor, Mr. Turner (David Morse). Kale knows Turner must be the
to hold his own with smaller roles in films such as “Constantine” and it is about time we see him take the reigns and carry a movie such as this. I look forward to his future efforts in the film industry. One real complaint would be that of the up-close shots during the fast-moving action scenes that take place toward the end of the film. This type of camera work makes the sequences very hard to see and follow and when something significant happens to one of the significant characters you really don’t know it happens until a few seconds later. The story was fairly well crafted, to the shock of this reviewer. Character development out the wazoo and substories that contribute to the film instead of clog provide for a wonderful film. More mainstream Hollywood flicks should really take a look at what a decent remake should be like if a remake should be made at all. But alas, this is a remake that still doesn’t quite hold up to the original Hitchcock classic starring James Stewart and Grace Kelly. Leaving the movie theater, I noticed a lot of disappointed teens who apparently didn’t care for the film despite its degree of scrappy attitude and quality. It shows that even though the cast and marketing of the film were meant for the 10- to 17-year age group, it is much more appreciated by adult film fans who yearn for characters to care about before they are in any sort of danger. If you care about the character, you care more when the possibility of death arises, thus when that time does indeed come, the suspense is even higher and the gut ties itself in a few more knots than before.
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News
THE WICHITAN April 18, 2007
Allocations____________continued from page 1
Evening in Italy
However, this stricter policy is cutting into the funding of student organizations such as athletics, the Disabilities Center, the Vincent Health Center, and the Counseling Center. The decision of how much each group was cut was the responsibility of a 5-member committee of students, each appointed by the president of the Student Government Association and approved by the entire student senate. Michael Penny, a political science graduate student and the chair of the Student Allocations Committee, said every organization received a cut. “It was really tough cutting essential services like the health center, but hopefully people will raise to the higher enrollment standards and enrollment will go up,” she said. Also present at the committee meeting are administrators and faculty members, as well as SGA President Will Morefield. But it was the five students on the Allocations Committee who made the budget decisions. “Weʼre not figureheads. We are serious people who know the challenges of this position,” Penny said. “We make the decision where the money goes.” Each student group has the opportunity to present their argument, and then the five student committee members deliberate. The meeting lasted from 1 to 6:20 p.m. Thursday. “It was hard to see the cuts, but in the end there was no animosity between the members,” Penny said. Athletics received the largest cut at $30,000, from a budget of $560,000 in the 2006-2007 school year. The Vinson Health Center was cut from $262,000 to $248,000. The Clark Student Center lost
Music department brings taste of Italy to Falls KONNIE SEWELL COPY EDITOR Hankering for some Verdi? Got a craving for a little Puccini? How about a dash of Donizetti or Vivaldi to spice things up? The music departmentʼs Evening in Italy will be Sunday, April 29, at Toscaniʼs Italian Restaurant beginning at 6:30 p.m. The Evening in Italy is a dinner concert featuring popular Italian arias performed by MSU students with three accompanists. All proceeds will go to scholarships for music majors. Tickets are $30 per person and must be purchased at the music department office in Fain Fine Arts before April 25. Anyone and everyone is encouraged to attend. Music professor Don Maxwell stressed those interested in attending should not wait to get their tickets. “Last year we had too many people in attendance,” Maxwell said, “so weʼre limiting it to 100 people this year. Last year 130 people showed up, which is good for
the scholarship fund, but this year we want to have a little bit of elbow room.” Scholarships are awarded to music students on a competitive
basis after an audition. Maxwell said about $1,000 went to the fund last year. “We are always short on scholarship funds,” he said. “Weʼre always looking for new ways to raise the funds and give the students a chance to perform in public.” Maxwell, who helped coordinate the event, said Italian music and food is the theme because they are so easily recognizable. “People are more familiar with Ital-
ian music, I think, than they are with, say, French or German,” he said. “Weʼve thought about doing different venues, but clearly Italian seems to be the easiest to do.” Maxwell said the Evening in Italy first started about 25 to 30 years ago, but last year was the first time in 10 or 15 years they actually held the event. “It went over well so we just decided to do it again,” he said. “All the faculty support it, which is great to see and be involved with. Itʼll be a great atmosphere.” Food will be served buffet style with a dessert of choice and cash bar. On the menu will be: Insalata Verdi (a green salad of fresh garden vegetables), Lasagna Caruso (delectable homemade pasta), Pizza Bello (Toscaniʼs best), Spaghetti Estatico (homemade pasta and sauce, with or without meatballs) and Pollo Pavarotti (chicken Alfredo in cheese sauce). Toscaniʼs is located at 507 Beverly. For more information, please call (940) 3974267.
Tobacco_from page 1 president of university advancement and student affairs. Modeling appropriate behavior is important. But taking steps to move toward a healthier environment will not be easy, he acknowledged. “Weʼre working under a cloud of adversity,” he said. SGA President Will Morefield suggested an official survey be conducted before any decision is made. As far as possible ramifications, the committee is not suggesting smokers who violate the new rules be ticketed. Police Chief Michael Hagy said the campus police would in theory ask violators for compliance, then let the administration to take care of it. “We cannot be known as ʻthe smoke police,ʼ ” Hagy said. Hagy also noted once people know the rules, the number of cigarette butts on the ground should diminish, whether or not ashtrays are removed from the campus. One committee member suggested MSU not completely ban tobacco but create designated areas for smokers. Though most people who oppose smoking in general are obviously non-smokers, two members of the committee who are smokers still recommended the ban, Lamb said. It was brought out that smoking not only affects health, but also worker productivity.
$10,270, dropping from $363,270 to $353,000. The Artist-Lecture Series took a $4,000 cut, as did the music department. Student Development was cut from $94,360 to $90,000. Recreational Sports lost almost $3,000 and the Student Government was reduced to $34,000 from $37,475. The cheerleaders lost $2,000, as did the Counseling Center and the Student Success Series. The Team Arrow and Cycling Club took a $2,200 loss. Campus Card Services lost $2,300, and The Wichitan lost $2,700 of funding. The Disability Support Center lost $1,370, the student handbook lost $1,000, and the University Programming Board lost $1,475. Taking cuts of less than $1,000 Family Day, Homecoming, New Student Orientation, Voices and Wai-Kun. The rugby team is receiving $1,000 after receiving no funding last year, and a new group, the MSU Caribbean Pan Ensemble, will receive $2,000. The Academic Honors Dinner will no longer receive student fee money, nor will the Student Leadership Banquet. Farrell stressed these numbers could change, as the proposal must pass through President Jesse Rodgers and go on to the Board of Regents, who will not approve the budget cuts until their meeting in May. Penny believes the students should be more involved and knowledgeable about where their money is going. “It is important that students understand that being on the Allocations Committee is a great honor and a great responsibility. It would be nice if people would get involved and learn the process,” Penny said.
Craven_________________continued from page 1
Peggy Boomer, director of Vinson Health Center, said the number of smoke breaks smokers take a day is a real issue in the working world, which affects the economy.
Lamb reported that $5.5 billion was lost least year from the Texas economy due to unhealthy employees, many of whom are smokers. The proposal is likely to pass through other committees,
such as the Faculty Senate, Academic Council, Enrollment Management Council, Student Senate and Administrative Council before it goes to the Board of Regents.
Thanks for reading The Wichitan.
Unemployed, Craven spent a summer in New York City searching for work. It took him two attempts before he finally landed a job with a production company as a messenger boy. It was there that he began learning the ins and outs of the film business. At nights, he drove the cab. “Donʼt try to predict your life,” Craven advised the audience of approximately 200 people. “Youʼll look like such an idiot.” Three decades, 32 movies and 11 television shows later, Craven is still entertaining people with frights, humor and … love? In 1999, the maestro of horror shocked critics and audiences alike with his release of “Music of the Heart,” a drama staring Meryl Streep as a music teacher who teaches violin to inner-city kids of Harlem. Craven said he spent 28 years waiting to make a movie of this caliber, a movie with heart. “And it stays in her body,” Craven joked in a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly. “The more you make a career out of scary films, the more you realize that people think of you as someone who is scary.” Of course, Cravenʼs movies usually had a heart … that is until someone ripped, slash or clawed it out as he explained in an interview for his film, “Vampire in Brooklyn.” “It beat three times, and it died,” he quipped.
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And if shaking labels were not enough, Craven frightened the publishing industry in 1999 with the release of his first novel, “Fountain Society,” a medical horror thriller/ love story about a woman, a man and his brain. In the novel, Cravenʼs creative storytelling delves into current issues such as cloning, stem cell research and the treatment of terrorists as well as basic human morality and ethics. In an interview before the campus lecture, Craven said he did an “excruciating” amount of research for his book. “A friend of mine in the publishing industry came to me and told me that I should pen a novel,” he said. “We went to three different publishing houses around New York, pitching the story idea. The last house (Simon & Schuster) accepted the pitch.” Two years later, he added the title of author to his belt. “I had forgotten how hard it was writing 300 pages for a novel,” Craven said. “Scripts usually run around 100 to 150 pages.” The editing process took about 18 months with many revisions of the novel. And like many novelists, Craven encountered the dreaded writerʼs block. “Donʼt leave the room,” he said as he explained his cure for the plague of many authors. Craven said he sold the movie rights to the book and the studio spent approximately $1 million hiring writers to pen a script. “They were all crap,” he said. “Hollywood did not like the idea of an older woman in a romance with a younger man.” The movie remains in limbo. Craven also surprised critics with his romantic-comedy contribution to the upcoming film, “Paris, je tʼaime,” where 20 directorsʼ visions of 20 districts in Paris merge into one movie. The studio is releasing the movie later this year. His passion for films is still going strong, and he plans to reach a wider-range of audiences in the coming years. Craven believes that filmmaking is “more like a poem,” and films are “visionary” in their contributions toward society. “The mind can fabricate all these amazing things,” he said. “If people believe in you, they will go through Hell with you.”
News International____________________________________continued from page 1 having international students in my class is great. It adds diversity and different opinions and different mindsets. It also adds some culture,” VonDielingen said. VonDielingen went on to explain how a substantial number of American students have not traveled far outside their states, let alone the U.S. Adapting to diversity can be a challenge to some. The most obvious difference between internationals and Americans are ideological and cultural. Some American students feel the pressure to excel even more with the presences of foreign students. “Itʼs awesome meeting people of different cultures. But I also feel it can get to be very competitive,” Whitney Humpert, a sophomore from Windthorst, said. “They (international students) had to go through a lot and work really hard to get to America. When it comes to school they work so much harder to keep high grades. This forces American students to push more,” she continued. Faye dʼHamcourt, an international student from Suriname (an island situated north of Brazil, also known as Dutch Guyana), said she found it very hard to adapt to a new country. “The international office did help at first with orientation and all but it wasnʼt the same without having family and friends,” she said. “But I started liking it a lot more as time went by. The benefits of getting my education here as opposed to back home definitely outweigh the initial difficulties.” Academics and the flexibility in course curriculum, financial assistance, internships and job opportu-
nities are the main attractions that allure international students. The International Students Office at MSU does all possible to ease the transition. “We try to be a service-oriented organization where students feel comfortable to come to talk to us if there is anything they need,” VonDielingen said. Students form organizations and special interest groups, like the International Students Association and the Caribbean Student Organization, to promote a multi-cultural society to locals. They host many socials and parties to educate others. CSO (Caribbean Student Organization) hosts many events throughout the year, but the biggest and most attractive is the Caribfest. Caribfest is a representation of a typical “carnival” that is celebrated in most Caribbean countries. Participants dress up in colorful costumes and parade through the streets of Wichita Falls. The Japanese students also present their culture on Japanese Activity Day, which is usually held in the Clark Student Center. International Dance Night is another event that foreign students sponsor. They wear native clothes and perform traditional dances. These groups also serve as a support system for their members by creating a “family away from home” atmosphere. Offering educational services to foreign students is not only in the interest of students. U.S. schools want international students for their contributions to academic research as well as for the revenue they bring in.
Costs for international students attending MSU add up to nearly three times the amount state residents are required to pay. Tuition and fees increase almost every year for everyone but for the current academic year, tuition and fees for internationals is $6,407 per semester. Texas residents pay $2,282 per semester for tuition. These costs do not include living expenses, food, books or insurance, which is required for all foreign students. Financial issues are the biggest concern for international students. Tuition is higher and they also have to consider the U.S. dollar exchange rate when compared to their countryʼs currency. MSU provides a lot of financial assistance to help international students overcome financial burdens. Many scholarships are available like the Competitive Waiver scholarships that reduce international tuition to in-state costs and are awarded in conjunction with a $1,000 competitive scholarship. Good Neighbor scholarships help students from Latin America and the Caribbean. This scholarship offers free state and local tuition excluding fees. The university nominates candidates for this scholarship. College departments also offer academic scholarships that are based on GPA requirements. MSU also offers opportunities to American students to enrich their learning experience through exchange programs. Language clubs are available for interested students and summer and semester exchange programs are offered in Mexico, France and Germany.
Survival MSU
THE WICHITAN April 18, 2007
7
Hot Stuff
ADRIAN MCCANDLESS | THE WICHITAN Lindsey Willis, 20, and Kristin Mullen, 19, paint chili pepper trophies to hand out at the Alpha Chi Chili Cook-off Saturday.
Chili______________________________________continued from page 1 MSU is one of the smallest chapters in the state, it is consistently one of the top chapters to raise money for the cause. “Every year we are able to grant at least two wishes and each wish costs $5,000,” Kennedy said. Money is raised through ticket sales, sponsorships, entry fees and a silent auction raffle. Groups wishing to enter the chili contest must pay the $30 entry fee and meet the guidelines. Each group must have four cookers and everything must be made from scratch. No fillers, such as beans, are allowed. Winners are announced at the end of the day and there are many ways for groups to win a prize.
“We have a showmanship award, which has to do with costumes and/or themes. We also have a Peopleʼs Choice Award where people can put money in contestantʼs tip jars and the group with the most money wins. And, of course, we award a first, second and third place. These awards come with money prizes as well,” Kennedy said. No social event would be complete without live music. In the past, the cook-off has showcased local talents such as Casey Pilgreen and the Born South Band and Johnny Cooper. Twister Cain will be playing this year, making the cook-off the new bandʼs official Wichita Falls debut. Tickets for the event are $5 and can be purchased by a mem-
ber of Chi Omega. Tickets will be $7 at the gate the day of the event. The event begins at 11 a.m. and ends at 5 p.m. Memorabilia such as shirts and koozies can be purchased as well. The Chi Omegas spend three to four months planning the daylong event, but they find it is all worth it in the end. “Not only is it great that people are out there having a good time cooking chili and hanging out, but knowing it is going to the Make-A-Wish Foundation makes it better,” Kennedy said. “A lot of times winners donate money back to the charity. Not even coming from a Chi Omega point of view, knowing where the money goes is the best part of the event.”
Libraries deserve appreciation during annual amnesty week KENNY BERGSTROM FOR THE WICHITAN
ADRIAN MCCANDLESS | THE WICHITAN Rian Vestal and Erik Shelton compete for the blue team in this year’s Survival MSU, continuing through Friday.
Amnesty Week is here once again at the Moffett Library from April 15-21. Amnesty Week is here to promote National Library Week. According to Andrea Williams, associate university librarian, overdue books will be forgiven up to $10. If a fine is over that amount, $10 will be knocked off your current fine. Media items will also be included in amnesty week. So far this month, the library has given out $2,295 in fines. Of those fines only $606 has been paid. Jason Brezina, circulation
Debate_____________________________________________________________________continued from page 1
York, a Wichita Falls native, has been involved in SGA for four years, serving as senator for three years and vice president this past year. Knowing the responsibility of the SGA president firsthand, York recognizes that past policies have caused raises in studentʼs tuition and fees. He anticipates not implementing programs that will cause student fees to rise. York sees the need for MSU to focus on being a more residential university, bringing students from outside Wichita Falls to the campus. He also looks forward to initiating a program that seeks to benefit young mothers with childcare on campus. From this program, he anticipates the creation of jobs and an opportunity for hands-on experience with early child development students. Recycling is an issue York recognizes as a neglected necessity on campus. Most recycling posts are in computer labs where more students are inclined to throw away paper,
though the campus lacks a strong program for glass, plastic or aluminum. York also wants to focus on the student health and more opportunities for the campus to get involved in the betterment of studentsʼ wellbeing, implementing more programs to encourage exercise. He encourages a stronger awareness of MSUʼs diversity by raising flags of each country represented from our student body. York is also a proponent of banning smoking on campus. “I agree that this campus should be a nonsmoking campus and I know that that is an un-popular decision to make,” he said. “Tobacco use is just inconsistent with the aims of higher education. We want our students to lead healthy lifestyles and we want to have a healthy and clean campus.” Running against York is junior pre-med major Dominique Calhoun, who is currently the president of the NAACP and vice president of the Black Student Union. Calhoun also would like to see more opportunities for students
to be able to eat in the cafeteria as well as work and go to class without worrying if the cafeteria will be closed, though Calhoun recognizes the difficulty of changing the process of Aramarkʼs current program. Calhoun stated he is pushing for a more unified body. He was prompted to enter the race for the SGA presidency from the need his friends and himself recognized: A lack of continuity between the student government and the student body. “I try to make sure that Iʼm doing my part at any cost,” he said. Calhoun recognized a lack of school unity after the MSU menʼs basketball playoffs. “The people here are kind of separated,” he said. ”Our basketball team had home court advantage and we couldnʼt even sell out the stadium. We need to get more school unity.” Calhoun pursues the opportunity to bring the presidency back to the studentʼs and be a representation of the MSU student body. Much of Calhounʼs responsibility in his past endeavors has led to cre-
ating a more unified campus. With the NAACP, Calhoun began a mentor program with the students of the Sam Houston Elementary School and is organizing a play day for the elementary students at Sikes Lake on May 4. He also helped organize a program for Black History Month that brought together African American and Caribbean students in order to bridge a gap of understanding. Running uncontested for vice presidency is junior Fadil Imo, an international studies and political science major. Senior psychology major Tammi Roberts is running for secretary. The SGA election continues through Friday. Students can vote by going to www.mwsu.edu and following the online voting link. “I highly encourage the students to participate in the student government election. The student officials not only represent the students here at Midwestern University, but represent the community of Wichita Falls and the state of Texas,” SGA President Will Morefield said.
manager, keeps track of all fines given out in the library. “Each day a book is kept over the due date 25 cents is added to the studentʼs file. The first two days a book is kept over it is considered free but on the third day the student has to pay for all three days,” Brezina said. If a book is kept over 60 days then the book is considered lost and the student is charged for the value of the book. The library is also hosting a graphic novel showing today from 3 to 4 p.m. Graphic novels are comic books with a modern twist. The presenters will be Jason Brezina, Ryan Samuelson and Dan Winslow. The event will be
held on the second floor in the History Alcove area of the library. Other events for National Library Week include a demonstration on “Mad Skills: The Hidden Secrets of Google.” The demonstration will be Thursday at 12:15 p.m. in the media departmentʼs room 212. This will be a brown-bag style lunch and will last about one hour. The Moffett Library is also putting up READ posters with campus celebrities on them to promote National Library Week. Signs and banners are posted all over campus. Information can also be found at MSUʼs Web site, www.mwsu.edu.
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